I laud the SkillsFuture Credit scheme, which has allowed me to pursue a digital photography course conducted by LaSalle College of the Arts for free, as the fee is within the grant limit of $500.

I submitted the course application online and had to pay a 50 per cent deposit, or $245.

Even though the sum will be refunded two months later, upon commencement of the course in mid-August, this deposit is a burden for retirees, for whom cash is tight, and will deter many from signing up.

The scheme should allow full payment of a course if the fee is within the grant limit.

To deter people from signing up and then failing to attend the courses, the amount paid can be deducted from future credit top-ups, as a penalty.

Chin Kee Thou